That Glastonbury attitude

A club gig in London led to Bug Prentice being on this year's Glastonbury bill not once but twice. Founder, singer and guitarist with the band, Ally Craig tells Disability Now about how it started and where it's all going

Back in 2007 I asked two mates Steve and Ruth to join me in the studio for a session as I'd seen them play in other bands and thought they were good. We jammed together and, even though my two friends hadn't met before, it worked so well that we decided to form a band properly.

We started off with about five songs which we recorded that year and since then we've been fleshing more out. We can't really afford to be in the studio all the time so at the moment we are recording at home with a friend's equipment.

I've been playing guitar for 15 years. For me it isn't about playing a showy riff or solo, though, it's just how I get my music across. It is funny because I play my guitar across my lap because of my wheelchair, so when we play live people often come up to me after and say "how the crap did you do that?!". It's pretty cool to blow a few minds!

The lyrics are often abstract. I know what they mean, but they might have different associations for everybody else. Sometimes the songs are inspired by films or filmmakers; we have a song where all the lyrics are references to Woody Allen's The Purple Rose of Cairo.

I used to play live shows on my own, and when I did a few people were unintentionally quite patronising. They'd see me wheel up to the stage and then be genuinely
surprised that they enjoyed my music, that I was good. I've noticed that now I'm in a band I don't get that, I guess because people think "well if the others think he's okay it must be good!"

Our first live gig was for Attitude Is Everything; I guess with me being disabled our paths were bound to eventually cross.

We recently played a Club Attitude show at Cargo in London which was a good warm-up for Glastonbury, though it wasn't nearly as big! Graham from Attitude is Everything recommended us for their stage's roster and when I heard we were actually going to play I was – and still am – so daunted. It turns out Steve and Ruth can't make it so I have to train two new bandmates for the show, too!

The way I see it is if I'm able to have a career in music it would be nice but I don't necessarily want to be a big star. It sounds pretty tiresome to get mobbed all the time! But if people hear and enjoy my music it would be pretty nice.

• Ally Craig was talking to Cathy Reay

• Bug Prentice play the Hub and Arcadia stages at Glastonbury Festival on 26 June

• For more information on Bug Prentice visit www.bugprentice.com or Attitude Is Everything www.attitudeiseverything.org.uk